What is an OFFSET for a wheel. i dont understand?

 

OFFSET

“The offset of a wheel is the measurement the wheel is offset from the centre line of the overall width of the wheel.”

A wheel which sits further under the wheel arch with a small outer rim is normally a negative offset as per Diagram A below, and shown as 'ET' offset. A wheel which sits further out and has either a larger outer rim or a small outer rim and a large block which takes the hub mounting face beyond the centre line is normally a positive offset and shown as an 'ET' offset.

An example - MO 6x15 (MO1560 ET49) has a negative offset and has a flat outer rim and the MS (MS1380 ET-06) has a positive offset with a dished front face and a large outer rim.

To work out the offset the wheel must be measured accurately using the following steps and using Diagram A:

 

thx a lot, i kinda get it now, i need to read it 5 or 6 more times to understand

 

it's basically how sucked in or stuck out your wheels are. example, you've seen lowriders w/ wheels sticking out real far, right? that's reverse or negative offset, numerically lower. now a front wheel drive car like the cl, the wheels have a positive offset, numerically higher. our stock wheels have a +55 offset, rear wheel drive cars like beemers have less positive offset, like +38.

does this help?

 

helps very much. thank u. how did u make amirs grill? what kinda material?

 

it's sheet aluminum. the material comes from a specialty hardware store across the street from my work. no one else has been able to find it.

 

i have found it and me and rondog have it on our grills. He has it painted black, and i have it regular. We will both be at the park ave meet with them on.

 

oh yeah, well i told rondog what it was. :o

and it comes pre powder coated in black, or white.

bigman, post some pics of your and rondogs grille's.

 

THis actually helped a lot more than your first post with the diagram. But why would cars have a higher or lower offset? I can see why you can't have too high an offset, cos your wheels would end up rubbing, right? But why not a more negative offset? Wouldn't a wider/larger wheel base (negative offset) provide better handling?